Telephone system.



No. 660,|24. Patented 06f. 23,1900.

. L.. SGHMIDT. TELEPHONE SYST'EM.

' -lApplication led In. 8, 1900.) (No Model.) v 3 Shoots-Shoot I.

` No. 660,124. Patented oct. 23. |900.

l L. scHmmT. i

TELEPHNE SYSTEM.

(Application filed Hu. B, 1900.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

ll/ 1 i/ mais w /fzc {Mw M No. 660,|24. v Patented 00L 23, |900.v

L. SCHMIDT. V

TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

(Application lled Mar. 8, 1900.)

cnn model.) 3 sheets-sheet s.

UNITED STATES..

PATENT rricn.

LAMBERT SCHMIDT, OF WEEHAWKEN, NEW JERSEY.

.TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

SPECIFICTIO forming part of Letters Patent No. 6O,124, dated ctober.f2/, 1900. Application filed MarohSVlQOO. Serial No. 7,785; (No model.)

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, LAMBERT SCHMIDT, a citizen of the United States,residing in Weehawken, county of Hudson, State of New Jersey,haveinvented certain new and useful lm'- provements in TelephoneSystems, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

This invention relates to intercommunicating telephone systems in whicheach party calling makes connection at his own station or instrumentwith the station or instrument of the party called. In such systemsthere are at each station open connections for the several lines to theother stations or instruments in the system. The party calling commonlymakes the desired connection by the insertion of the plug at the properpoint. It has also been proposed to arrange the series of contacts orterminals of the several lines so that a movable contact or switch-armmay sweep over the same, such switch-arm being held by a suitable detenton the desired 'contact or terminal and being released by the hanging upof the receiver, so that it may return to its initial position.

This invention is more particularly concerned with automatic switches ofthe class to which that just referred to belongs; and it has for itsobject to overcome certain difficulties which are developed in thepractical `use of such automatic switches as that referred to. Thus ithas been sought to provide a device which can be completely inclosed, sothat the contacts shall be protected from dust. It has also been soughtto provide a device which shall be free from the diiculties incident tothe use of a single switch-arm sweeping over a series of contacts, ithaving been found difficult to give such an arm a sufficient bearingupon the iiXed contact or terminal without interfering with its freedomof move- 'ment to such an extent as to brender its return to initialposition when released somewhat uncertain.

A further7 object has been to facilitate the work of making thenecessary connections when the instrument is set up.

The invention will be more fully described and its nature explainedhereinafter with refvagainst the force of the spring a. -nary hook-leverD, which is extended through erence to the accompanying drawings, inwhich-- y 4 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a calling and receivinginstrument or telephone set to which the improved automatic switch isapplied. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the improved switch. adapted for usein a single-wire system, the casing being shown in section. Fig. 3 is afront elevation of the same with the casing in section. Fig. 4 is asection on the plane indicated by the broken line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5is a diagram illustrating the electrical connection. Fig. 6 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 2, but illustrating the application of the switch to atwo-wire system. Fig. '7 is a detail view of the construction shown inFig. 6, illustrating the manner in which the connections are formed.Fig. 8 is a detail section on the plane indicated by the broken line 8 8of Fig. 6, and Fig..9 is a diagram illustrating the electricalconnections when the switch is applied to a two-wire system.

In the embodiment of the invention represented in the drawings a shaftor drum Ais mounted in the ends of suitable bearings in thesupporting-frame B and is provided outside of the casing C, whichentirely incloses the shaft or drum and other parts hereinafter whateverposition of rotation it has been set An .ordithe casing C and is adaptedto support the usual receiver R, rests upon the tail ofthe pawl a2, sothat when the receiver, is applied to the hook,as usual when thetelephonie communication has been completed, its added weight acting inopposition to the'pawlI-'spring will disengage the pawl from theratchetwheel and so permit the shaft orv drum to be rotated backward toits'initial position by the spring a. At a convenient point on the shaftor drum is secured an indicator-wheel A3, having a broad rim A4, uponwhich are formed IOO or secured the numbers or other designations of theseveral stations of the system, such numbers or other designations beingvisible one at a time through a sight-opening c in the casing C. Securedto the shaft or drum A and disposed spirally about the same are pins a,which correspond, respectively, to the several stations of the system.The relative arrangement of the several pins, the several teeth of theratchet-wheel A2, and the several numbers on the indicator-wheel is suchthat when any number is visible at the sight-opening the correspondingtooth of the ratchetwheel is then engaged by a pawl and thecorresponding pin a is then in operative position. As shown in Fig. 2,the indicator-wheel may be provided with a stop a3, projecting inwardfrom the rim A4, io limit the backward rotation of the shaft anddetermine the initial position of the parts by engagement with a iixedstop b.

Allof the parts above referred to are found in both constructionsrepresented in the drawings-namely, the construction which is adaptedfor application to a single-wire system and the construction which isadapted for application to a two-wire systemand the operation of suchparts as far as described is the same in both cases. In the single-wiresystem, however, the circuit-closing pins ct are themselves included inthe circuit, while in the two-wire system the circuit-closing pins arenot included in the circuit, but operate to close the circuit betweentwo separated contacts. It will be obvious that the invention issubstantially the same in both cases so far as concerns the structurealready referred to. Such differences as characterize the twoapplications of the switch will now be pointed out.

Referring first to the arrangement shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, it willbe observed that the shaft or drum A is connected in the calling-circuitand that each of the pins a thereon is likewise in the calling-circuit.Supported in convenient position adjacent to the shaft or drum Aarespring contacts or terminals E, each one of which is insulated from theothers and from the frame and is connected electrically with thecorresponding callingwire. These contacts or terminals are preferablysecured alternately to opposite sides of the supporting-frame. By thisarrangement I sec nre greater com pactness than would be possible if thecontacts or terminals were all arranged on one side of the frame. Itwill therefore be seen that whenever the shaft or drum Ais rotated tobring a certain station-indicator to the sight-opening the correspondingcircuit-closing pin a will be brought into contact with thecorresponding spring contact or terminal E and will be held there by theengagement of the pawl with the corresponding tooth of theratchet-wheel.The first act of the party calling is of course to remove the receiverfrom the hook-lever,

and transmitter. `is operated to throw current from the ringe whichleaves the pawl free to engage the ratchet-wheel, and the next actis toestab lish connection with the desired line by the rotation of the shaftor drum A. The release of the hookelever breaks the circuit through thebell or other signal S and completes the circuit through thecircuit-closing device already referred to and the receiver The usualpush-button P ing-battery on the line for the purpose of calling theattention of the party whose line `has been brought into circuit, andconversation is then carried on. When communication has been completed,the receiver is hung again upon the hook-lever, which restores the lineto its normal condition in readiness for a call and releases therotating switch or shaft A to be returned immediately by the springe toits initial position.

In the application of the switch to a twoline or all metallic system(illustrated in Figs, 7, 8) and 9, the pins ct on the shaft or drum Aoperate to close the desired circuit, but do not themselves form partsof such circuit. Secured upon the frame in positions corresponding withthe several circuit-closing pins u, on the Shaft or drum are doublepairs of contacts or terminals, each pair consisting of an upper contacte and a lower contact e2, the upper contact of each pair being connectedwith the corresponding leg of the corresponding line, while the lowercontact of each pair is connected with the corresponding leg of the homeWire of the station. The pin a has a head sufliciently broad to engageboth of the lower contacts and lift them against the upper contacts,thereby establishing connection between the home line and the particularline desired. The operation of the push-button P throws current on theringing-circuit of the station called, as already described withreference to the arrangement shown in Fig. 5, and in other respects,except as hereinbefore indicated,the operation of the arrangement shownin Fig. 9 is substantially the same as that shown in Fig. 5 and does notrequire further explanation herein.

It will be obvious that the details of construction and arrangement maybe varied without departing from the spirit of the in vention.

I claim as my inventionl. In an automatic switch, the combination with asupporting-frame, of a shaft or drum, having a series of circuit-closersarranged thereon, journaled in the ends of said frame, a series of pairsof contacts carried by the Sides of said frame, one of the contacts ofeach of said pairs extending' into the path of the circuitfclosers,alternate pairs of contacts being carried by opposite sides of theframe, means for rotating the shaft or drum in one direction, a detentengaging the shaft or drum to hold it with one of said circuit-closersin IOO IZO

position to press together one of the pairs of contacts, and means forreleasing the detent; substantially as described.

2. In an automatic switch, the combination with a supporting-'frame of ashaft or drum, having a series of circuit-closers arranged thereon,journaled in the ends of said frame,

v a series of pairs of contacts each consisting of two terminals carriedby the sides of said frame, the terminals of one of the contacts of eachof said pairs extending into the path of the circuit-closers, alternatepairs of contacts being carried by opposite sides of the frame, meansfor rotating the shaft or drum in one direction,a detent engaging theshaft or drum to hold it with the terminals of each of one of saidcircuit-closers in position to press togethera pair of contacts, andmeans for releasing the detent; substantially as described.

3. In an automatic switch, the combination with a supporting-frame, of ashaft or drum having a series of circuit-closers arranged thereon,journaled in the ends of said frame, a series of contacts carried by thesides of said frame and extending into the path of the circuit-closers,alternate contacts being carried by opposite sides of the frame, lanindicatorwheel carried by said shaft or drum between the ends of thesupporting-frame and pro- 'with a supporting-frame, of a shaft or drum vhaving a series of circuit-closers arranged thereon, a series ofcontacts carried by the sides of said frame and extending into the pathof the circuit-closers, an indicator-wheel having a rim adapted to beardesignating characters, a stop extending inward from said rim, means forrotating the shaft or drum in one direction, a detent engaging the shaftor drum to hold it with one of said circuit-closers against one of saidcontacts, means for releasing the detent, and a fixed stop in the pathof the stop carried by the indicator-wheel; substantially as described.

This specification signed and witnessed this 28th day of February, A. D.1900.

LAMBERT SCHMIDT. In presence of- ANTHONY N. JESBERA, LOUIS R. MOORE.

